Apparatus for forming the ends of gear-teeth.



G. W. SPONABLB. APP A RAT-US FOR FORMING THE ENDS 0F GEAR TEETH.

APPLICATION FILED APR.11. 1906. RENEWED SEPT. 6, 1910;

Patented Sept. 8, 1914.,

3 SHEETSSHEET 1 WITNESSES.

G. W. SPONABLE.

APPARATUS FOR FORMING THE ENDS OP GEAR TEETH.

APPLICATION FILED APR.l1.1906. RENEWED SEPT. 6, 1910.

Patented Sept. 8, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

VE/VTOR 5r C/% I ATTORNEYS WITNESSES w awy 3 SHEETS-SHEET 34.

Patented Sept. 8, 1914.

G. W. SPONABLB.

APPARATUS FOR FORMING THE ENDS 0F GEAR TEETH.

APPLIOATION FILED APR.11. 1906. RENEWED SEPT. s, 1910.

INVENTOR Y t @f? war/mm ATTORNEYS ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE w. srOnABLE, or SYRACUSE, NEW ORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE BEOWN-LIPEGEAR COMPANY, or SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION or NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR FORMING THE ENDS 0F GEAR-TEETH.

Patented Sept. 8, 1914.

Application filed April 11, 1906, Serial No. 311,019. Renewed September6, 1910. Serial NO. 580,629.

set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanyingdrawing in which like characters designate corresponding part in all theviews.

Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of a machine constituting oneembodlment of my invention, a gear being shown as secured upon thesupport. Fig. 2 is a plan, partly in section, of portions of a pair ofshafts. gears mounted respectively on the shafts, and having their teethprovided with diverging end surfaces, and means for shifting one of thegears axially into and out of engagement with the other. Fig. 3 is aface view of a gear having ends 'ofits teeth formed by my machine. Fig.4 is a face View! of a part of a gear having the opposite portions oftwo of its teeth provided with diverging end surfaces. Fig. 5 is'asectional view on line A-A-, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an end view of oneembodiment of the cutting tool of my machine. Fig. 7 is a plan, partlyin section, Ofa ortion of one construction of the support or the, gear,and the means for Mining the gear relatively to the tool, said gearbeing indicated by dotted lines- Fig. 8 is a plan, partly broken away,of the base of the support illustrated in Figs. 1 and 7. Fig. 9 is anelevation, partly in section, of said support, a gear secured thereto,and the means for alining the gear relatively to the cutting tool. Fig.10 is an elevation, partly in section, of the tool seen in Figs. 1 and6, and the gear engaged by said tool. Fig. 11 is an elevation, partlybroken away,

.Of a modified construction of apparatus embodying my invention.

1' is a tool, particularly applicable for use with the remaining partsof my machine.

The tool 1 is arranged with its axis at an Oblique angle to the axis andto the planes of the side and end faces of the gear 2, and

has internal cutting means, as sharpened teeth or edges movable aboutthe axis of the tool in an arc of a circle inclosing a plurality ofteeth of the gear 2, said tool being usually formed with. a recess 3 inits end whlch receives portions of a plurality of teeth of the gear. Thetool 1 preferabl engages opposite portions of the ends 0 two teeth, Fig.4, and thus simultaneously forms convex diverging end surfaces on saidteeth. In the illustrated construction of my invention, the tool 1engages opposite parts of two contiguous teeth, but it is obvious thatsaid tool may be of greater diameter and may engage opposite portions oftwo teeth separated by one or more intervening teeth. The teeth operatedupon by my invention are formed with convex end surfaces extendmgsubstantially in a radial direction and diverging toward the sides ofthe teeth, the convex surfaces of one portion of the end of one toothand the opposite port-ion of the end of another tooth diverging fromeach other in substantially the same curved line. A gear having teethprovided with end surfaces of this construction forms the subjectmatterof my pending application, Sr. No. 309,246, filed A r. 2, 1906, and 'twogears the teeth of whlch are provided with such end, surfaces and one ofwhich is movable axially into and out of mesh with the other, (Fig. 2)will readily engage when the slidable gear is shifted. My invention is,however, not limited to a tool having internal cutting means, since ahollow mill may be utilized as the cutting tool of the machine.

The tool 1 may be suitably connected to a rotary shaft 4 driven by. awheel or pulley 5, Fig. 1, or if desired, it may .be mounted on anoscillating shaft 6, Fig. 11, driven by a rocking crank 7. The means foractuating the tool 1 forms no part, of my present invention, and furtherdescription thereof is deemed unnecessary.

My apparatus for forming the ends of the teeth of gears also includes asuitable support for a gear. The illustrated support comprises a base 8,a member 9 movably mounted on the base, and means for securing the gearto said member. The base 8, as

shown, is formed with attaching means, as slotted ends 10, Fig. 8, andwith upright parts 11 spaced apart. Said" base 8 1s clamped, by anydesirable means, as bolts 12, cooperating with its slotted ends, to atable 13 preferably movable relatively to the tool 1 in a directionlengthwise of the axis of said tool and also in a direction at an anglethereto. In the illustrated embodiment of my invention, the table 13 ismounted on a carriage 14 which is provided with a rack 15 engaged by atoothed wheel 16,

said parts 141, 15 and 16 operating to move" the table 13 lengthwise ofthe axis of the tool, and said table is provided with a rack 17 coactingwith a rotary wheel 18 for moving the table 13 in a direction at anangle to said axis. As the table 13 may obviously be supported andmoved, as described, by any suitable means, further description of thedevices for supporting and moving the same is deemed unnecessary. Itwill be understood, however, by those skilled in the art, that theadjustment of the table 13 at an angle to the axis of the tool 1 may bedispensed with, and also that the table 13 and the support for the gear2 may be fixed from movement relatively to the tool 1, and that saidtool may be moved axially, and if desired laterally, relatively to thesupport. In the preferable construction of my invention, the member 9rises at an angle from the base 8, and its lower end is fitted betweenthe upright parts 11 and is connectedv thereto by a. pivotal pin 19which is ar ranged at an angle to the line of movement of the supportfor the gear and is provided with suitable nuts for clamping theopposing surfaces of the upright parts 11 against the lower end of themember 9, and preventing movement of said member on its pivotal pin. Themember 9 is provided with a hub 20 and with an opening 21 extendingthrough said member and its hub 20. A gear-support including the movablemember 9 facilitates the adjustment of my machine for operation upongears of different diameter, since said member 9 may be set at anydesired angle- It is obvious,'however, that the member 9 may be rigidwith the base 8, especially when the machine is designed to operate upongears of uniform diameter.

The means for securing the gear 2 to the member 9 is here shown as anarbor 22, and means coacting therewith. Said arbor is mounted in theopening 21 in the member 9,

1 and its lower end projects beneath the end of the hub 20 and isthreaded and provided with a nut 23 which bears against the end of thehub 20 and serves to move the arbor axially relatively to the member 9.The arbor 22 is adapted to enter the central opening of the gear to besecured to the member 9, and the periphery of the arbor forms a circularbearing for supporting the gear from lateral movement. It is apparent,

- however, that the upper face of the member 9 may be provided with acircular recess for' receiving and fitting one end of the gear. Theupper end of the arbor 22 extends above the contiguous face of the gear2, and is provided with a slot 24 extending at substantially a rightangle to the axis of the arbor for receiving a bar 25 which bearsagainst one face of the gear 2. Said end of the arbor 22 is alsoprovided with a longitudinally yielding part 26 which is movable intothe slot 2 1 and engages one of the edges of the bar 25 and preventsendwise movement of said bar relatively to the arbor. When the gear 2 ismounted upon the member 9, the turning movement of the nut 23 in onedirection serves to clamp the gear between the bar 25 and the opposingface of the support. The arbor 22 and the means, just described,coacting therewith form a particularly simple means for securing thegear to the member 9, but it is obvious that any other suitable meansmay be utilized for this purpose.

The means for alining the gear relatively to the tool 1 comprises amember 27, a clamping screw 28, a slide 29, and a plunger 30.

The member 27 is journaled at one end on the hub 20, the periphery ofthe latter forming a bearing concentrlc with the circular bearing on thearbor 22 and with the gear on said arbor. The opposite end of the member27 is extended upwardly beyond the contiguous part of the member 9 andis provided with a guide 31 for the slide 29. The

clamping screw 28 passes through the members 27 and 9, and serves tofirmly secure the.

member 27 to said member 9. The slide 29 is of any desirable form, sizeand construction, is movable radially in the guide 31 toward and fromthe axis of the arbor 22 and the gear thereon to be operated upon, andis provided with a guide 32 which receives the plunger 30. A spring 33is suitably connected to the plunger 30 for holding the same in itsnormal position.

When the nut 23 is loosened and the plunger 30 is withdrawn fromengagement .with the gear 2, said gear may be rotated on its axis asingle tooth. After the adjustment of the gear 2, the plunger 30 isreleased, whereupon the spring 33 causes the inner end of said plungerto enter between two of the teeth of the gear and aline said gear withthe tool 1. The nut 23 is then tightened and the machine is in conditionfor operation upon the gear. The described means for alining the gear 2relatively to the tool 1 is particularly simple in construction andeffective in operation, but my machine is not limited thereto, as anyother suitable means may be used for this purpose.

To those skilled in the art, it will be readily understood that themetal-removing means or tool 1, and particularly each cutting edgethereof, is caused to move relatively to the gear support in a pathdiverging from angularly disposed planes coincident with end and sidefaces of one or more teeth of the gear, said surfaces meeting at thecorner of one or more of the gear teeth being operated upon, and saidpath intersecting a lengthwise portion of' said corner, and that saidmetal-removing means in the aforesaid movement thereof is caused toengage with a corner portion of one or more of said teeth and to remainout of engagement with the portion of said faces contiguous to suchcorner portion, and thereby tooth being operated upon, and intersectinga lengthwise portion of said corner, and for causing said metal-removingmeans in the aforesaid movement thereof to engage with the cornerportion of said tooth and remain out of engagement with the portions ofsaid faces contiguous to such corner and thereby form on the tooth anend surface extending substantially in a radial direction and at anangle to said end and side faces, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

2. A machine for beveling the ends of gear teeth comprising means forsupporting the gear, metal-removing means revoluble relatively to saidsupporting means about a fixed axis and means for causing saidmetal-removing means to move about its axis relatively to saidsupporting means in a path diverging from end and side faces meeting ata corner of the gear tooth being operated upon, and intersecting alengthwise portion of said corner for engaging minor portions only ofsaid meeting end and side faces, and for causing said metal removingmeans to remain out of engagement with major portions of said faces,whereby a surface is provided on the end of the tooth extendingsubstantially in a radial direction and at an angle to said end and sidefaces, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. A machine for beveling the ends of gear teeth comprising means forsupporting the gear against rotation during the beveling operation,metal-removing means movable relatively to said supporting means andmeans for causing said metal-removing means to move relatively to saidsupporting means in a path divergingfrom end and side faces meeting at acorner of one gear tooth being operated upon, and also diverging fromend-and side facesmeeting at the opposite corner of a second gear toothbeing operated upon, and intersecting a lengthwise portion of each ofsaid corners, and for causing said metahremoving means in the aforesaidmovement thereof to engage with the corner portions only of said teethand remain out of engagement with the portions of said faces contiguousto such corners and thereby provide the two teeth operated upon with endsurfaces extending substantially in radial directions and at angles tosaid end and side faces, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. A machine for forming the ends of gear teeth comprising a support fora gear, rotary cutting means and means for causing said cutting means tomove in an arc of a circle inclosing a plurality of teeth of the gearcarried by the support and engaging a corner of one of the plurality ofteeth and an opposite corner of another of such plurality of teeth andto move out of engagement with contiguous portions of the end and Sidefaces meeting at said corners and thereby form the two engaged teethwith end surfaces extending substantially in a radial direction and atan angle to said end and side faces of said two engaged teeth,substantially as herein specified.

5. A machine for forming the ends of gear teeth comprising a support fora gear, a tool having internal cutting means, and means for causing saidcutting means to move in a path diverging from end and side facesmeeting at a corner of the tooth being operated upon and intersecting alengthwise portion of said corner, and to move into engagement with saidcorner and out of engagement with the portions of said faces contiguousto such corner and thereby form the tooth with an end surface extendingsubstantially in a radial direction and at an angle to said end and sidefaces, substantially as described.

6. A machine for forming the ends of gear teeth comprising a support fora gear, a tool movable; about an axis and having a recess for receivingportions of a plurality of teeth of the gear carried by the support. thetool having internal cutting means, and means for causing the internalcutting means to move inan arc of a circle inclosing said plurality ofteeth and engage a corner of one of the plurality of teeth and an opposite corner of another of such plurality of teeth and to move out ofengagement with contiguous portions of the end and side faces meeting atsaid corners and thereby form the two engaged teeth with end surfacesextending substantially in a radial direction and at an angle to saidend and side faces of such two engaged teeth, substantially as setforth.

7. A machine for forming the ends "of gear teeth comprising a supportfor a gear, a rotary tool having a recess for receiving portions of aplurality of teeth of the gear carried by the support, the tool havingcutting teeth at the margin of the outer end of the recess, and meansfor causing the cutting edges of the teeth of the tool to move in a pathinclosing said plurality of teeth and diverging from end and side facesmeeting at one corner of one of said plurality of teeth of the gear andalso diverging from end and side faces meeting at the opposite corner ofanother of such plurality of teeth and intersecting a lengthwise portionof each of said corners, and for causing said cutting to move intoengagement with said corners only and out of engagement with theportions of said end and side faces contiguous to such corners and.thereby form the two engaged teeth of said plurality of teeth with endsurfaces extending substantially in a radial direction and at an angleto said end and side faces of such two engaged teeth, substantially asherein shown and described.

8. A machine for beveling the ends of gear teeth comprising means forsupporting the gear, metal-removing means movable about a fixed axisextending in the same general direction as, and at an angle to, the axisof the gear held by the supporting means, and means for causing themetal-removing means to move about such axis. relatively to thesupporting means in a path diverging from end and side faces meeting ata corner of the gear tooth being operated upon and intersecting alengthwise portion of said corner and to travel in engagement with saidcorner, and out of engagement with the portions of said faces contiguousto such corner and thereby form the tooth with an end surface extendingsubstantially in a radial direction and at an angleto said end and sidefaces, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. A machine for beveling-the ends of gear teeth comprising means forsupporting the gear against rotation during the beveling operation,metal-removing means movable about an axis extending at an obtuse angleto the plane of the end face of the gear being operated upon,'and meansfor causing the metal-removing means to move about such axis relativelyto the supporting means in a path diverging from end and side facesmeeting at a corner of the gear tooth being operated upon andintersecting a lengthwise portion of said corner and to travel inengagement with said corner, and out of engagement with the portions ofsaid faces contiguous to such corner and thereby form the tooth with anend surface extending substantially in a radial direction and at anangle to said end and side faces, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

10. An apparatus for forming the ends of gear teeth comprising a supportfor a gear, and means movable about an axis for cutting the ends of thegear teeth, said means having an internal cutter associated therewithand being arranged with its axis extending in the same general directionas the axis of the gear held by the support, substantially as and forthe purpose specified.

11. An apparatus for forming the ends of gear teeth comprising a supportfor a gear, and means movable about an axis for cutting the ends of thegear teeth, said means having an internal cutter associated therewithand being arranged with its axis at an oblique angle to the plane of theend face of the gear being operated on, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

12. An apparatus for forming the ends of gear teeth comprising a supportfor a gear, and means movable about an axis for cutting the ends of thegear teeth, said means being arranged with its axis at an angle to theplane of the end face of the gear being operated on, and having acutting tooth movable in the arc of a circle inclosing a plurality ofthe teeth of said gear for cutting faces on the ends of two gear teethat the same operation, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

13. A machine for beveling the ends of gear teeth comprising a supportfor the gear, a tool rotating about an axis extending at an obliqueangle to the plane of the end face of the gear held by the support, thetool having a recess for receiving portions of a plurality of teeth andhaving cutting edges at the margin of the outer end of the recess,andmeans for causing said cutting edges to move relatively to thesupport in a path diverging from end and side faces meeting at onecorner of one of said plurality of teeth and also diverging from end andside faces meeting at the opposite cor-- ner of another of saidplurality of teeth and intersecting a lengthwise portion of each of saidcorners, and for causing said cutting edges to operate in engagementwith said corners only and out of engagement with the portions of saidend and side faces contiguous to such corners and thereby form each ofthe two engaged teeth of said plul'ality of teeth with an end surfaceextending substantially in a radial direction and at an angle to saidend and side faces thereof, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

14. A machine for beveling the ends of gear teeth comprising a supportfor a gear, a metal-removing-edge, and means for causing said metalremoving edge to move relatively to the support about an axis disposedat an obtuse angle to the end and peripheral faces of the tooth beinoperated upon, said metal-removing edge eing itself disposed at an angleto the end and side faces of said tooth and at an angle to said axis,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

15. A machine for forming the ends of gear teeth comprising a supportfor a gear, and a metal-removing edge arranged at an angle to the endand side faces of the tooth being operated upon, the metal-removing,

edge being out of engagement with said tooth at one end of the gear andengaging such tooth contiguous to the other end of the gear, and meansfor causing said metalremoving edge to rotate about a fixed axisintersecting the axis of the gear a distance to one side of thelast-named end of the gear, substantially as shown and described.

16. A machine for forming the ends of gear teeth comprising a supportfor a gear, and rotary cutting means movable about an axis in an arc ofa circle inclosing a plurality of teeth of the gear carried by thesupport and engaging at one end of the gear a corner of one of theplurality of teeth and at the same end of the gear an opposite corner ofanother of such plurality of teeth, said axis intersecting the axis ofthe gear a distance to one side of said end of the gear, and means forcausing said support and cutting means to cooperate to form such twoengaged teeth with end surfaces extending substantially in a radialdirection and at an angle to end and side faces of said teeth meeting atsuch engaged corners, substantially as specified.

17. An apparatus for forming the ends of gear teeth comprising twoelements, a support for a gear, and means movable about an axis forcutting the ends of the gear teeth, the support being adjustable aboutan axis toward and from said means, and said means being arranged withits axis at an angle to, and crosswise of, the axis of the support andat an angle to the plane of the end face of the gear carried by thesupport, and means for moving one of said elements toward and from theother, substan= tially as and for the purpose set forth.

18. An apparatus for forming the ends of gear teeth comprising twoelements, one including a support for a gear, said support comprising abase, a member pivoted to the base, and means for securin the gear tosaid member, and the other element including a tool movable about anaxis and arranged With its axis at an angle to, and crosswise of, theaxis of the sup-port, and also at an angle to the axis of the gear andto the plane of the end face of the gear to be operated upon, and meansfor moving one of the foregoing elements toward and from the other,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

19. An apparatus for forming the ends of gear teeth comprising a supportfor a gear, said support comprising a base, a memable about an axis andarranged with its axis at an angle to, and crosswise of, the axis of thesupport, and also at an angle to the axis of the gear and to the planeof the end face of the gear to be operated upon, and means for movingthe support toward and from the tool, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

20. A machine for forming the ends of gear teeth comprising a supportingmember for engaging an end of the gear, an arbor for the gear, the arborprojecting from the supporting member at right angles thereto and beingprovided with a slot extending transversely therethrough, a yieldingpart carried by the projecting portion of the arbor and movable into'theslot, a bar for engaging the other end of the gear, said bar beingpassed through the slot and engaged with the yielding part, and meansfor moving the arbor endwise relatively to the supporting member,substantially as described.

21. In a machine for forming the ends of gear teeth and in combination,a supporting member, a cutting element, means for operating the same,and means for alining the gear to be operated upon on the supportingmember and in reference to the cutting element said means comprising acarrier adjustably mounted on the supporting member, and a membermovable in the carrier and in a direction radial to the axis of the gearunder treatment and having a part for engaging said gear for alining thesame.

22. A machine for forming the ends of gear teeth comprising a supportingmember for engaging an end of the gear, clamping means for engaging theopposite end of the gear, a second member movable relatively to thesupporting member about an axis substantially coincident with that ofthe gear on the supporting member, means for holding thesecond-mentioned member relatively to the supporting member, and meanscarried by the second-mentioned member and movable relatively theretosubstantially radially toward said axis into engagement with teeth ofthe gear on the supporting member for holding said gear in position tobe operated upon, substantially as described.

23. A machine for forming the ends of gear teeth comprising a base, asupporting member for engaging an end of -the gear, the supportingmember being pivoted to the base on an axis disposed at an angle to anaxis substantially coincident with that of the gear on the supportingmember, an arbor for the .gear, the arbor being carried by thesupporting member, clamping means carried by the arbor and engaging theopposite end of the gear, means for moving the arbor axially to actuatethe clamping means, a

second member movable relatively to the movement relatively to the baseduring the supporting member about an axis substanoperation upon thegear, substantially as 15 tially coincident with that of the arbor, andand for the purpose set forth.

provided with a guide extending radially In testimony whereof, I havehereunto relatively to said axis, means for holding signed my name inthe presence of two atthe second-mentioned member relatively to testingwitnesses, at Syacruse, in the county the supporting member, meanscarried by of Onondaga, in the State of New York, 20 thfsecolnd-hmentionefd member and movable this 7th day of April, 1906.

re ative y t ereto a on said guide into engagement with the teet h ofthe gear on the GEORGE SPONABLE' supporting member for holding said gearWitnesses:

in position to be operated upon, and means S. DAvIs, for holding thesupporting member from' B. ARONSON.

